RAMALLAH, November 20, 2008 (WAFA)- The Palestinian Ministry of Planning held, Thursday, an information workshop about the Mediterranean Sea Basin ENPI CBC Program.
The workshop was organized on behalf of the Joint Management Authority (JMA) by the Regional Capacity Building Initiative (RCBI) in cooperation with the National Contact Point for the Palestinian National Authority, Mr. Bashar Juma'a.
The workshop aimed at introducing the Program to participants, who had registered their names at the RCBI website. Although the invitation to the workshop was limited to that list of names, benefitting from the Program is not limited to that list; Registration is still open at the website www.rcbi.info and www.regione.sardegna.it/speciali/enpicbc/en/
The program establishes the allocation of the resources for the program priorities and measures as well as for program management. It is structured according to four priorities, based on the European Union's orientations for the cross-borders cooperation component of the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument ENPI. Those priorities are classified into four main groups: 1- Promotion of socio-economic development and enhancement of territories. 2- Promotion of environmental sustainability at basin level. 3- Promotion of better conditions and modalities for insuring the mobility of persons, goods and capitals. 4- Promotion of cultural dialogue and local governance.
The call for proposals will commence in January 2009, after a meeting to determine the criteria upon which eligible applicants will be selected to implement the different projects. Eligible applicants will be selected by a committee constituting of seven Euromediterranean countries.
Around €1.1 billion will be allocated by the European Union to the four priorities, from 2007-2013. Projects are classified into two main categories; standard and strategic. Standard projects are to be implemented by three partners with a budget of €500,000 - €2 million, while strategic projects are to be implemented by at least four partners, and will receive a budget of €2 million - €4 million. Each project will last over two years.
